Quick intro: name is Lawrence Robinson, 38yrs, based in The Netherlands. I've a background in DJ'g and am a big fan of music and quality of such in general. Lots of electronic (Depeche Mode, Jarre, Vangelis), pop (modern, Michael Jackson, 80's), dance (90's).

I'm looking to buy in-ears for my iPhone to replace the stock Apple buds, however as I'm not an audiophile willing to spend several hundreds I'm looking to find a set with a nice price and equivalent quality.

My search has been narrowed down to the mentioned 2 sets. The Etymotic seems very comfortable (a big issue to me, I hate getting "raped" in the earholes), yet low on bass reproduction. The SA1's look great, offer good sound quality and as an added bonus, are considerably cheaper.

The Etymotic HF5(highely recommended) offers good bass response and not harsh at all with great midrange clarity and silky smooth extended highs. It's sound so good with vocal oriented music and in general almost all genres music.

As a previous owner of the SA1's, I can vouch for their comfort. They came with a few different tips, and once I found the one that fit the best, they provided a good seal and a comfortable listening experience for multiple hours at a time. However, after a month of semi-consistent use, the glue attaching the socket for the removable wire lost its hold and the left earbud was rendered useless. When I attempted to contact Sleek Audio in the interest of receiving a replacement pair, I was met with silence. While I am disappointed in the service I received, I remain a fan of the earbuds. They sound and look great, and if you decide on purchasing them, I hope you have a better experience than me.

As a previous owner of the SA1's, I can vouch for their comfort. They came with a few different tips, and once I found the one that fit the best, they provided a good seal and a comfortable listening experience for multiple hours at a time. However, after a month of semi-consistent use, the glue attaching the socket for the removable wire lost its hold and the left earbud was rendered useless. When I attempted to contact Sleek Audio in the interest of receiving a replacement pair, I was met with silence. While I am disappointed in the service I received, I remain a fan of the earbuds. They sound and look great, and if you decide on purchasing them, I hope you have a better experience than me.

Hey Zin,

Sorry to hear you have run into issues with your SA1s. I'm not too sure why you werent able to reach us, our system may have been acting up. Contact me at info@sleek-audio.com if you still have the earpieces and I'll walk you through the replacement process.